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While Los Cabos is the tourism heartland of the state of Baja California Sur, the relatively little-known destination of La Paz, to the north, is the soul and cultural center of the hugely popular state.
Surrounded by stunning scenery that compliments the deep cultural richness of the Mexican nation, La Paz is an awesome choice for travelers interested in experiencing more from Mexico than all-inclusive mojitos.
On paper, La Paz is a super-safe place to visit, one of the safest in all of Mexico.
Despite this already impressive record on safety and security, with a neighboring destination like Los Cabos just to the south, which itself is making huge strides in safety, this charming alternative is stepping up its game to be more attractive than ever.
Secure Holiday Season
The high season in Mexico for visiting American travelers falls right around the winter holidays, with December and January proving super-popular.
Naturally, this means increased pressure on law enforcement to keep the destinations safe and inviting, a responsibility that is extremely important to both the livelihoods of locals as well as the personal well-being of visitors.
Thankfully, La Paz is a place that takes public security seriously, and that has been reinforced by the announcement of a new coordinated initiative that will run for this holiday season, incorporating local, state, and national law enforcement to protect travelers better than ever.
The key areas of focus will be around shopping malls, busy avenues, and ATMs.
While that last one may seem a bit out of place, it’s important to note that while crime is well under control in the destination, theft from people using on-street ATMs is a widespread problem throughout Mexico.
Additionally, it’s important to highlight that this initiative isn’t a reaction to heightened criminal activity. Instead, it is a pre-emptive attempt to deter criminality in the first place, and in turn to provide a feeling of security for all those who choose to enjoy La Paz as a destination.
The Hook
While Los Cabos has long been the most favorite destination in this corner of Mexico, La Paz offers a much more authentic Mexican experience, making it a very appealing alternative to travelers who prefer a little more local soul injected into their vacation.
As a city, La Paz has a long and culturally wealthy history that even includes an occupation by the United States and even a brief declaration of independence.
This unique layer to the destination’s identity adds to its charm and explains the much stronger connection to old-world Mexico in comparison to the comparatively young Los Cabos.
The tourism hotspots of La Paz are also no slouch in comparison to Los Cabos.
While the resort choice isn’t as varied, the destination is home to many luxurious places for travelers to relax and call home for a week or two.
On top of the resorts, the beaches here are also top-notch and often much calmer and more swimmable than the famously temperamental beaches of Los Cabos, which often shut completely to travelers due to aggressive conditions in the water.
And while La Paz isn’t a spring-break faithful’s top choice, it still provides a wealth of restaurants, quirky bars, and exciting nightlife spots. Meaning travelers don’t need to give up midnight cocktails to visit this wonderful destination.
How To Get There
Getting to La Paz from Los Cabos can look daunting on the map, but thanks to the fantastic trans-peninsular highway system, the journey takes just around 2 hours by car.
There is ample public transport available to make the transfer, although many travelers venturing to this stunning portion of Baja California Sur prefer to rent a car so they can better take in the stunning “spaghetti-western” scenery that lines the journey.
Whether travelers opt for a day trip to La Paz or decide to make it their vacation home for the duration of their stay, getting there won’t cause headaches.
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Holden
Sunday 17th of December 2023
I was "shaken down" for a bribe by the policia on the way back from La Paz in my rental car. Keep bribe money handy if you look like a rich gringo pendejo. Your rental car will be targeted. Not worth it.
Shannon
Friday 15th of December 2023
Security? yeah like the Cartels will be scared off, the Police and the Cartels work together to rob the tourists.I would drive the length of Baja back in the early 90's by myself and spend a month down there in the winter (did it several times) but no way would I do that now.
Gabriela
Monday 27th of November 2023
We stayed in La Paz for 2 days in April 23 and on our way back to Cabo we were stopped by police saying that we were speeding. After seeing our Us ID They demanded "yelling spanish"..$200 or go to police station somewhere... We had a 8 year old kid with us that got scared so we had to pay it... Again rental car, white, small sedan. They are def. Targeting the turists exiting the city.. When I read this article that police is on "top" of it protecting bla bla Shame on you
Jan
Sunday 26th of November 2023
It was just a year ago when we visited La Paz for a day trip from Cabo in a rental car. We had great time at Balandra Beach, wonderful late lunch at restaurant recommended by locals. We felt very safe until ... stopped by police leaving LA Paz. Policeman supposedly spoke Spanish only. Demanded $100 US cash for speeding. We were going with a traffic flow. They let us go after 3000 pesos. We were left with a strong feeling that they were targeting rental car driven by relatively young person. In our case 35 years old son. They appeared to be surprised to see seniors in the back seat. Anyway, the encounter left us with a bitter taste first time in 25 years going to Mexico.
Leeroy
Tuesday 28th of November 2023
@Jan, that's Mexico, where you can pretty much do what you want, but so can the policies. I'm sure the LaPaz I knew 30 yrs ago will be ruined like Cabo San Lucas, which is an extension of California. No thanks anymore, too scary.